Apparatus for baking or curing patent-leather.



No. 774,971. PATENTED NOV. 15, v19(34.. W. R. SMITH. APPARATUS POR BAKING 0R CURING PATENT LEATHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1903. N0 MODEL. 3 SEEETS*-SHBET l.

XIII..

A fdr rd fr No. 774,971. PATENTED NGV. l5, 1904. W. R.SMITH.

APPARATUS FOR BAKING 0R CURING PATENT LEATHER.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 1903.

N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 774,971. PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904. W. R. SMITH. APPARATUS POR BAKING 0R CURING PATENT LEATHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 190s. no MODEL. a SHEETS-SHEET s.

wsa @l wl UNTTED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PATENT OEETcE.

WILLIAM R. SMITH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN D. LARKIN, OF BUFFALO, NEIN YORK.

APPARATUS FOR BAKlNG OR CURING PATENT-LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,971, dated November 15, 1904.

Application flied July 6,1903, Serial No. 164,289. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. SMI'rH, of

Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Baking or Curing Patent-Leather, &c., of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates chiefiy to the curing of so-called patent-leather, or leather pro- IO vided on one side with a coating of baking- Aenamel, which requires to be set or cured by a relatively high degree of heat. The heat required to cure or vulcanize a coating of composition known as "baking-enamel is I5 such as to injuriously affect the leather, re-

moving from the same the oil with which it has been previously treated and leaving the leather in an undesirably porous condition and material-ly lacking in tensile strength, the

2O result being that the leather, with the baking- I coating thereon, is easily cracked, particularly after the leather has been moistened and again dried.

My invention has for its object to provide an apparatus adapted to expose the coating of the sheets or pieces of leather to a baking heat and at the same time to protect the body of the leather, so that the oleaginous filling therein will be retained and the completed product will retain practically the full strength, weight, and pliability of the original leather.

The invention consists in the improvementsl which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of Va building or structure constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents an edge View of one of the beds and the mechanism for raising and lowering the same. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of one of the sets of baking-chambers shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a detail View representing a bed having suitable connections forl the circulation of a cooling iuidthrough it, as hereinafter described.

The same reference characters indicate the vSO same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings. o a a a represent a series of chambers each adapted to be heated internally to the Ytemperature required to bake a coating of baking-enamel spread uponasheet or piece of leather. There may be one, or any desired larger number of these baking-chambers. When a plurality of such chambers is employed, each will have the same essential characteristics as the other, so that a de- 6o scription of yone will suiice for all, it being suiicient to state that suitable means are employed for heating the chambers and that preferably they will all be heated from a single heater b, communicating with the entire 6:; series of chambers. The said heater may be composed of a series of burners adapted to consume gasolene or any `ther suitable fuel. The heated air from the burner may circulate naturally or may be caused to circulate 7o through the dierent chambers by means of any suitable air circulating or forcing apparatus. It Will he understood, however, that each chamber may have an independent heating apparatus, which may be one or more burners or of anysuitable construction. Each chamber a has an opening at one side, preferably the bottom, the said opening including substantially the entire area of the side of the chamber in which itis formed and hav- So ing at its margin a seat a', which is preferably beveled.

' c represents a movable bed formed to close the opening in the chamber and to fit closely against the seat a', the bed c preferably hav- 85 ing a beveled margin conforming to said seat. When the bed c is seated on the margin of the opening in the oven a, the chamber is practically closed, so that the heat Within it acts upon all parts of its internal surface, includ- 9o ing the upper surface of the bed c. The bed is adapted to support upon its upper surface a piece d, of leather; having a coating of baking-enamel. When the bed is in its chamberclosing position and a sheet of coated leather is supported by its inner surface, the coated side being uppermost, the coating will be subjected to the heat of the chamber, while at the same time the body of the piece of leather will be to a considerable extent protected from the heat within the chamber` owing to the fact that the outer or under side of the bed is in contact with a cooling or heat-conducting agent, such as a body of air at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere 'in the space below the chamber, there. being a series of air-spaces between the different chambers, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. ln case the nature of the enamel is such that only a relatively low degree of heat is required the protection afforded by the external air in contact with the under surface of the bed will be sufficient to protect the leather without the provision of protecting means in the bed itself, and in this case the bed may be made of sheet metal or other suitable material. I prefer, however, to provide a specially-constructed bed. having provisions for protecting the piece of leather, and to this end the bed may have a layer of asbestos arranged to support the piece of leather and prevent the heat from acting injuriously upon the leather, or the bed may be hollow', its interior constituting' a chamber in which air or other fluid may be circulated, the bed being provided with an inlet and an outlet for the circulating' fluid. Suitable means may be employed for causing' a circulation of the fluid, such as an air-forcing apparatus applied to the inlet-pipe or an exhaust apparatus applied to the outlet-pipe. 1n Fig. 5 1 have shown means whereby such a circulation of a cooling' fluid as above described may be secured. In said ligure the bed c is shown as hollow and having ports or passages 1() and 11, adapted when the bed is raised against the seat a to register with ports or passages 12 and 13, formed through the said seat al. Supply and discharge pipes for a cooling fluid are indicated at 14 and 15, respectivel y, said pipes communicating with the ports 12 and 13. The port 12 is shown as having a valve-seat 16, to which is fitted a valve 17, having a stem18, provided at its inner end with a foot 19, adapted to be engaged by the side of the bed when the latter is raised against the seat c', so that the valve will be opened against the pressure of the fluid-supply, the liuid escaping' from the bed through the ports 11 and 13. When the bed is removed, the valve will be automatically seated by the pressure of the fluid-supply.

In practice the coated piece Z is placed upon `the bed,when the latter is removed from the baking-chamber and secured to the bed under suitable tension. The bed is moved to place to close the opening in the chamber, and the latter being heated the bed is allowed to remain in its chamber-closing position until the coating has been sufliciently baked. The bed is then removed from the chamber and may be transported to a curing or drying' apartment e Without removing the piece of leather from it. I prefer to employ a series of beds c for each chamber a, so that as soon as the coating of a piece upon one bed has been baked and the bed removed another bed provided with a coated piece can be substituted for it, the bed with the baked coating being' carried by suitable means --such as a conveyer or an elevatore-to the curing-chamber e. This chamber may be large enough to contain any desired number of the beds e. In the chamber e the baked coating is subjected to the action of light and of air at a relativelyT low temperaturethat is, at a temperature considerably less than that required to bake the enamel. The light may be sunlight admitted through windows in the walls of the apartment e or it may be artificial light furnished by a number of electric lamps f, located in the upper part of the curing-chamber. Means are provided for circulating air in the curing-chamber and for removing from the air admitted to the curing-chamber as far as possible all traces of dust or other iioating matter that might detrimentally affect the glossy coating. To this endl employ an air-purifying chamber g, having means for purifying the air admitted to it, said purifying means being preferably a humidifying apparatus arranged to diffuse water in the form of fine spray through the cham ber r1`he air is drawn from the curingchamber @to the purifying-chamber g th rough a suitable duct or flue 7L and is forced from the purifying-chamber to the curing-chamber through a duct or liue e'. A blower or airforcing device j is employed which is arranged to cause a circulation of air in the manner above described.

Any desired number of the curing-chambers e may be employed, two being' shown in the present instance, each being adapted to receive a number of the beds e bearing the coated material and each having thedescribed provisions for permitting the action of light upon the coated pieces and for the circulation of purified air.

1 propose providingthe ceiling of each of the chambers e with a bright reflecting-surface e (see Fig. 2) to reflect a portion of the light emitted by the lights f upon the coated material in the chambers.

The chambers a are preferably provided with lamps fl, the object of which is the same as that of the lampsfin the curing-chambers e.

The air circulated in the curing-chambers @is preferably warmed to a temperature of from 750 to 100O Fahrenheit. Suflicient heat for this purpose may be obtained through the openings @2 (see Fig. 1) in the partition which divides the curing-chambers from the bakingchamber room.

The chief advantages of the apparatus above described are as follows: First, the protection afforded to the leather while the coating' is being baked greatly increases the strength, durability, and usefulness of the leather and reduces to the minimum the liability ofthe IOO or hooks o, affixed to cracking of the enamel coating; secondly, by subjecting' the material after the baking' of the coating to a damp warm atmosphere from which all traces of dust and smoke, &c., have been removed the material is kept in a pliable condition, preventing' all liability of cracking ot' the enamel during` the curing' opera- 'tion and preventing all liability of the tarnishing of the coating by dust, zsc.; thirdly, the use of artificial light enables the process to be carried on without interruption, it' desired.

I have shown endless drive-chains m located under the beds c and supported by pulleys n. Said chains may be moved progressively in the direction indicated by the arrows fr in Fig. l and may be formed to engage lugs the beds c. The upper stretches of the drive-chains m are located considerably below the beds c when the latter arein their chamber-closing position. Means are provided for raising' the beds from the chain engaging position (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3) to the chamber-closing positions. (Shown in Fig. l and by full lines in Fig. 3.) Said means comprise oscillatory arms or struts p, pivoted at p', Fig. 3, and connected in pairs by links p2, there being four arms under each chamber. lVhen the arms areinclined, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, they permit the bed above them to engage the drive-chains m. When the arms areraised to stand vertically, as shown by full lines in Fig'. 3, by means of'a lever p3, connected with two oil the arms, they raise the bed to its chamber-closing position. When the bed is lowered to the chains, the latter engage the hooks or lugs 0 and move the bed in the direction indicated by the arrows w until its hooks 0 engage cross-arms g, connected with drive-chains q', which are arranged and adapted to convey the beds to a curing-chamber e.

The humidit'ying apparatus in the cham ber g may consist of one or more water-pipes yr, arranged to discharge numerous small jets of water, and said jets may be caused to impinge against the ceiling of the chamber g to ditiuse the liquid and convert it into spray.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, it will be observed that a partition is represented at Z, said partition having suitable openings Z to permit of the passage of the chains m. This partition may be omitted, however, its principal object being' to serve as a shield to prevent the space outside of the said partition from becoming overheated. Whenever a bed c is lowered, much ot' the heat in the chamber above it kescapes into the passage through which the chains eXtend, and without the partition Z a person opposite the ends of the said passages would be subjected to a possibly dangerous amount of heat.

In the operation of the apparatus the lights which are located in the baking-chambers may be used only during the last two or three l l l hours of the baking. Moreover, it is to be understood that the entire operation, including the curing or aging of the leather, can be carried out in the baking-chambers alone by means of the lights therein and then reducing the temperature therein and supplying' a current ot' air after lowering the beds.

Although I have shown a plurality or' baking-chambers arranged in two series, it is to be understood that my invention may be embodied in but a an adjacent space or chamber into which the bed for supporting' the leather may be moved, so that the leather may be accessible for removal, said body being formed to obstruct communication between the heating or baking' spice or chamber to the said adjacent cool space or chamber. For instance, referring' to the lower left-hand portion of Fig. 2, all of the baking structure there shown may be conlined to the lowest baking-bed and the chamber above and the chamber below said bed.

I claiml. An apparatus for baking enameled leather, comprising a heating or baking' space or chamber, a cool space or chamber, and a bed for supporting the leather and formed to obstruct communication between said spaces or chambers, said bed being movable into the cool space or chamber to facilitate access to its leather-supporting surface.

2. An apparatus for baking enameled leather, comprising a heating or baking space or chamber, an adjacent cool space or chamber, the partition between said chambers having an opening, and a bed for supporting the leather and formed to close said opening. said bed being movable into the cool space or chamber.

3. An apparatus for baking enameled leather,`comprising a heating or baking space or chamber, an adjacent cool space or chamber, the partition between said chambers having an opening, and a bed for supporting' the leather and formed to close said opening, said bed being movable into the cool space or chamber, the said bed having means for protecting the back or inner side of -a piece of coated material thereon while the coating on the outer side of said piece is being' baked.

4. An apparatus for baking' enameled leather, comprising' a heating' or baking' s pace or chamber, an adjacent cool space or chamber, the partition between said chambers having an opening, and a bed for supporting the leather and formed to close said opening, said bed being movable into the cool space or chamber, the said bed being' exposed atits inner or work-supporting' side to the heat ofthe baking'- chamber while its outer side is in contact with a cooling agent. i

5. An apparatus leather, or chamber,

for baking enameled comprismg a heating or baking space a cool space or chamber, and a single bed or chamber with IOO bed 'for supporting the leather and formed to obstruct comn'iunication between said spaces or chambers. said bed being movable into the cool space or chamber to facilitate access to its leather-supporting surface, the face of a piece oi: material supported by said body being subjected to the heat of the baking-chamber while the outer side of said body and the back oi said piece of material are subjected to a cooling and heat-conducting agent.

6. An apparatus for baking enameled leather, comprising a plurality of heating or baking spaces or chambers. a plurality of adjacent cool spaces Or chambers, and a plurality of beds for supporting the leather and formed to obstruct the communication be* tween said spaces or chambers, said beds being movable into the cool spaces or chambers.

7. In an apparatus for baking enameled leather, a baking-chamber having a series of artificial lights capablesof giving high actinic rays, adapted to act on the coating of a piece oi' material contained in said chamber.

8. ln an apparatus for baking enameled leather, a bal ing-chamber having a series of electric lamps arranged to act on a coating of a piece oi' material contained in said chamber.

9. In an appara-tus for baking enameled leather, a chamber having a series of electric lamps arranged to act on the coating of a piece of material contained in said chamber, said chamber having also means for reiiecting light from said lamps onto said coating.

In testimony whereotl I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. SMITH. v

Witnesses:

THOMAS H. NooNAN, MILLARD F. BOWEN. 

